Physical Health Is important, So Is Oral Health
By Stephen R. Farris
While we tend to focus more on keeping physically fit through exercise and healthy eating, sometimes we forget about how we should be when it comes to our hygiene health, especially when it comes to the spot where food intake actually begins -- our mouth.
Oral health is just as important as overall physical health. If our teeth, tongue, and throat are hurting and/or in somewhat poor condition, it becomes difficult to ingest the foods our body needs to support our bones, joints and muscles.
Besides brushing and flossing regularly, we should also focus on eating the right foods to assist in giving our oral health a boost with maintenance.
According to research, we should avoid foods high in sugar content, carbohydrates, acidic, and processed types. Foods we should consume in their place consist of those high in fiber, and that contain nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.
Here's a short list of the good foods you should consider to add to your diet.
Cacao Nibs
Who doesn't like chocolate to snack on? However, cacao nibs are a dark chocolate that is virtually sugar-free. This sugarless dark chocolate treat can help cut cavities because it can stop certain bacteria and stop plaque from building up on your teeth. It's a win-win situation for your oral health.
Grass-Fed Dairy
Basically it's dairy products where the animals are fed with grass and not given hormones or other things that we probably don't want to know about. How it helps with oral health is through the consumption of cheese and butter produced by grass-fed animals because both are high in Vitamin K2. It's a nutrient that is important in keeping our teeth healthy.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish seems to be one of the most popular foods to consume when it comes to overall health. As for oral health, fatty fish contains Vitamin D, which is essential in helping prevent tooth decay. Tuna, mackerel, salmon, and trout all fall under the fatty fish category.
Green Leafy Vegetables
This is another type of food that is vital for overall health. Consuming green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach, collard greens, turnip greens, and arugula (to name a few) are beneficial probiotics for healthy bacteria to feed upon. Plus they help produce nitrite-reducing bacteria.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Cincinnati, Ohio.